Telephone facilities have evolved from conventional dial-up circuit-switched connections using dedicated circuits for the duration of a telephone call, to packet switched connections using the Internet or other digital network to carry the audio waveforms of speech in digital format along with other digital data including streaming video, multicasting and web surfing. A similar evolution in technology, in volume of calls and in the functionality of handsets, has occurred in cellular radio, where a number of different wireless protocols, such as AMPS, CDPA and GSM, and newer generations (e.g., so called “third generation”) provide for wide coverage, call forwarding and roaming.
One particularly time consuming and error prone aspect of telephone use is listening to voice mail and transcribing the telephone number left by a caller in order to place a return call. Commonly, a pencil or paper is not at hand, particularly when a mobile or portable handset is used. But, even with multiple handsets in a home, this can be an inconvenience. In the case of mobile operation, it can be a safety hazard. Features such as caller ID may serve to identify the originating telephone number and may be useable to return a missed call. However, when a voice message is left as “voice mail,” a return telephone number or an alternative telephone number may be left in the form of a voice message.